Will solar power finally have its day in the sun?

After an uncomfortably hot summer, you might be wondering why solar power has yet to have its day in the sun. This is especially after exceptionally low winds late last year left Europe limping behind its targets for renewable energy generation.   To answer this question, and understand the investment implications, it's useful to outline the two main ways that energy is captured from the sun: photovoltaics (PV) and solar thermal collectors. PVs are essentially solar panels - they convert sunlight directly into electricity, which can then be used, stored within a solar battery or sent to ...